Apart from vintage cars, no-one would seriously suggest that a car is an
What cars will hold their value best this year?
From flash motors to superminis, there are some models which will prove better long term value than others.
Apart from vintage cars, no-one would seriously suggest that a car is an investment. The second you drive a brand new car off the forecourt it loses money.
But there are some cars that will lose their value slower than others. New figures from Motors.co.uk show the car which will lose the least of its value is the BMW 1-series.
While a 2010 model of this car, popular with both businessmen and families, will cost around £19,197, a brand-new model would cost just over £20,329 - which means that it's depreciated in value by just 5.6%.
Second placed for holding its value is the ever-popular Ford Focus. A new one bought last year would have cost £11,919, but would be worth £11,207 - meaning it has only lost 6% of its value.
Third place goes to the Fiat 500. A model bought brand new at £9,815 is fetching £9,137 second hand - a 7% drop. The fourth best is the BMW 5-Series. A year ago a brand new one would have cost £35,950 and is now worth around £31,758, a fall of 11%.
Fifth place goes to the Audi A3 with a 12% depreciation - a new model costing £20,994 is now on the market for £18,437 after just a year.
Others with good resale values are the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Ka, Mazda 6, Mercedes C Class and Ford Fiesta - the car which has long topped the sales charts for new cars in the UK.